2005 Nissan Maxima Transmission & Power Train Problems
NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN · data through 07/14/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How power train ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 948 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2005 Nissan Maxima overview page.
What owners report
“TIMING CHAIN PROBLEM WITH 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. AFTER HAVING MY TRANSMISSION REPLACED (DIFFERENT COMPLAINT), THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH…”NHTSA complaint 10258134 — filed 02/09/2009
“MY 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA SE HAS BEEN BUCKING AND JERKING FROM FIRST TO SECOND GEAR SINCE 60,000 (NOW HAS 64,000) ACCELERATING AND BRAKING. IT'S BEEN…”NHTSA complaint 10243486 — filed 09/26/2008
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Power Train complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 2005 Nissan Maxima have transmission & power train problems?
Power Train is the most-reported problem area on the 2005 Nissan Maxima: 469 of 948 complaints on file (49.5%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.
How many complaints does the 2005 Nissan Maxima have in total?
948 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/14/2026. Across all categories, 16 involved a crash, 10 involved a fire, 29 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's power train category include?
NHTSA groups complaints about the transmission (automatic or manual), driveline, axles, transfer case and related parts under a single component category called POWER TRAIN. This page reports that category as NHTSA defines it.
